TS2017 Menu Shows Gray Background Only

[jstange]

I actually noticed it quite a while ago but never really had time to get to the bottom of it. My TS started to show only gray background with Train Simulator logo in the main menu instead of showing the usual picture with three locos.

Could the problem be that I never really bought TS 2017 and DTG removed the TS 2017 picture for such users? I personally doubt it, just culd be an option...

Verifying game cache could probably help, but this would mean re-installing all my updates (AP soundpacks etc.), so I'm looking for an alterante way to remedy this. Any ideas please?

[peterfhayes]

JS
I doubt its to do with DTG "punishing" you! DTG did "forget" to include the correct background file in one of their TS 2017 updates.
What does your background.jpg file look like in your STEAM\steamapps\common\railworks\data\textures\frontend folder?
Is it grey like your screen shot?
I had this recently and just changed that background.jpg file to an earlier one from a backup of TS 2017. (You may have to rename the associated .MD5 file as well) (there may be easier ways????)
I guess that the sim still works OK?
pH

[gptech]

Do you have a ..\RailWorks\data\textures\frontend\background.jpg file?

I's not used in the latest version of the menuing system, being for the Ts2013 (I think) system that many have reverted to in order to be able to customise the look of the front end.

[jstange]

No, I don't have that file, just background.jpg.MD5 (apparently just the checksum). Sadly I have no recent backups I could take this file from.

Interestingly I just checked my old backup of TS2015 on my NAS and this file is missing there too... ? The only file that is there is loading_external.jpg and I have this one in TS2017 as well. It contains the right picture, but probably is only meant for the TS loading screen...

Of course the sim is working fine and this is just a cosmetic bug. However, wanted to finally have it fixed anyway...

So if I understand that correctly you guys get that too (provided that you didn't fix it yourself)?

[peterfhayes]

JS
Just use any screenshot and save it to the same size as the resolution of your monitor.
Mine is nearly 2MB so size is not important.
name it background.jpg and that's it.
pH

[jstange]

JS
Just use any screenshot and save it to the same size as the resolution of your monitor.
Mine is nearly 2MB so size is not important.
name it background.jpg and that's it.
pH

It did the trick!!! Thanks a lot! I used the loading_external.jpg file for that.

I still wonder why my old TS2015 backup does not have this file either when all was OK there...

Anyway...thank you very much, Gary and Peter! Great help, as always...

[ttjph]

Yeah, mine's like that too.

It didn't bother me enough to post about it - I just assumed DTG were giving us a rest so that the next ad they put there will have more impact!

[749006]

Yeah, mine's like that too.

It didn't bother me enough to post about it - I just assumed DTG were giving us a rest so that the next ad they put there will have more impact!

Mine was the same as well but I like the idea of using one of the pictures I took in the game as wallpaper

So thanks again to Gary and PeterH

Peter

[gptech]

I can't speak for Peter, but all I know (think I know?) of how the menus work is due to posts by others, notably Fodda, so I can't claim to be any more than a conduit.

[skoda]

I've got the plain grey background as well . Thanks for the info , think I'll use one of my screenshots though I'm tempted to knock up a custom background in Paintshop .

[peterfhayes]

Gary
You describe the situation exactly, my knowledge of the menus was gleaned from fellow simmers here and on Steam, so yes I am just a conduit too (more like a culvert actually)!
UKTS is a great place to come for knowledge about TS.
pH